Dems reject GOP offer on Benghazi

House Democratic leaders on Friday rejected a Republican proposal designed to entice the minority party into participating in a special investigation of the deadly 2012 attack on U.S. diplomats in Benghazi, Libya.

With that in mind, Republicans proposed several overtures on Friday, which were soundly rejected by the Democrats.

"I consider it a slap in the face," Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said after a closed-door meeting with Democratic leaders in Pelosi's office in the Capitol. "It is actually worse than the current situation that we have in Oversight and Government Reform [Committee]. It's a step backwards."

"Regrettably, the proposal does not prevent the unacceptable and repeated abuses committed by [Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)] in any meaningful way, and we find it fundamentally unfair," Pelosi wrote.

"We made a fair offer," he said. "We hope they appoint members. At this point, it's time to get to work."

The Republican members of the committee held a preliminary meeting Friday afternoon in the Speaker's office.

Democrats have criticized the Benghazi panel for its 7:5 membership ratio, in favor of the majority Republicans. They're also concerned that their members will be props, while all the authority is vested with the Republicans.